1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to solid state irrigation controllers which automatically regulate a plurality of watering stations or zones, and more particularly, to a novel programmable controller apparatus and method for irrigation systems which is capable of providing an efficient and more manageable means for programming a control module, an independent programmable pump start for each watering station, and novel means for supplementing an irrigation system with additional watering zones or stations.
2. The Background Art
Normally, vegetation and greenery grows in soil watered by rain. Where rain is so seasonal that the quantity of rainfall fails to meet the requirements of particular types of vegetation, or when the amount of rainfall is deficient or practically nonexistent, the extreme drying of the soil may retard, and eventually prevent, vegetation growth. Irrigation can compensate for the vicissitudes of nature by supplying water directly to areas of vegetation and greenery in regular intervals and in sufficient volumes.
Earlier techniques and methods of irrigation which were utilized to provide supplemental watering to vegetation and greenery located remote distances from a water source, traditionally included, for example, such methods as supplying water manually by hand and bucket directly to the vegetation, or by such means as constructing simple aqueduct systems. Aqueduct systems of the prior art were generally constructed by forming long furrows or canals immediately alongside the vegetation or greenery to provide moisture and promote vegetation growth and productivity. Over time, various other types of irrigation techniques and devices were developed by those skilled in the art to simplify and supplement traditional methods of irrigation. For example, simple mechanical lifting aids and animal-powered irrigation devices were developed to assist users in transporting water from a water source to a localized area of vegetation requiring supplemental irrigation.
As technology progressed with the advent of steam power, the internal combustion engine and electricity, irrigation systems became fully mechanized operations in many parts of the world. Many of the earlier traditional techniques and methods of providing irrigation were replaced by mechanical devices with internal programmable timer units. Moreover, mechanical irrigation devices of the prior art revolutionized the irrigation industry by providing a novel means for automating the control of water flow from a pressurized water source through such means, as for example, portable, lightweight aluminum piping, to numerous watering stations located remote distances from the water source.
Traditionally, automatic electromechanical controllers of the prior art incorporate multiple conventional motor-driven electric clocks which provide a mechanized means for programming individual start times for various irrigation cycles and watering stations. Calendar programs are generally incorporated to provide a means for selecting particular days of operational watering which normally includes a period over 14 days. Typically, calendar programs used in conjunction with prior art electromechanical controllers are functionally realized through the use of a disc being mechanically rotated to a next day position by a conventional motor-driven clock, once every 24 hours.
Employed in all but the simplest versions of electromechanical irrigation controllers of the prior art, cycle start circuits are typically provided to activate additional timer motors for advancing the irrigation controller through multiple preset watering cycles. Pins are generally placed in clock dials to close a switch at a preset time and, if the circuit is completed through a switch held closed by the calendar wheel pin on a day designated for irrigation, the watering cycle typically starts. In this regard, cycling water from station to station and programming watering intervals and timing durations for individual watering stations or zones may be accomplished by the placement and specific arrangement of various functional pins, cams, levers and other mechanical devices of prior art electromechanical controllers which interact with one another in concert to provide preprogramming automation for an irrigation system.
Increasing the number of watering zones or stations of prior art automatic electromechanical irrigation controllers to expand the watering capabilities of the irrigation system and provide water to larger areas of vegetation or greenery, such as golf courses, cemeteries, or parks, typically involves a significant number of mechanical disadvantages in the overall performance of the irrigation system. Moreover, in expansion of the watering capabilities of an irrigation system employing automatic electromechanical controllers of the prior art generally requires a dramatic increase in the number of working parts to realize and effectuate the additional programming capabilities typically required when increasing the number of watering stations or zones of an initial irrigation system.
In response to the problems associated with the dramatic increase in mechanical working parts required by prior art electromechanical irrigation controllers when expanding the watering capabilities of an irrigation system, those skilled in the art developed automatic solid state irrigation controllers which eliminated electric motors, mechanical switches, actuating pins, cams, levers, gears and other mechanical devices typically associated with electromechanical controllers and replaced them with solid state electronic circuitry. The programming potential of automatic solid state controllers of the prior art generally permits the user to program, for example, multiple start times and day programs for individual watering stations, repeat cycles, watering time selections in minutes (sometimes seconds), while maintaining the split-second accuracy of solid state timing without requiring the numerous interacting mechanical parts employed by prior art electromechanical irrigation controllers.
Automatic solid state irrigation controllers of the prior art typically provide a user with several program sequences from which to select. Generally, the user has the option to choose from multiple program sequences offered by the controller and determine the specific program options which best accommodate the particular watering needs of the user's vegetation and greenery in a most advantageous manner. In this regard, each of the various program sequences typically has its own independent start times which generally include several start times per day.
To accommodate and sustain multiple program sequences, solid state irrigation controllers of the prior art generally incorporate a programmable microprocessor-controlled user interface that provides a user with the capability of programming several sprinkling stations or zones in a variety of timing scenarios, for example, daily, weekly, odd days, even days, etc. Each watering station or zone usually includes one or more sprinklers and a solenoid valve which is generally regulated by the microprocessor unit. Solenoid valves typically control the flow of water entering a particular watering station from a pressurized water source, and provide a means for monitoring the flow of water exiting the watering station through various sprinkler lines that typically terminate into a plurality of sprinkler heads strategically located throughout an irrigation area.
Microprocessor units of prior art automatic solid state irrigation systems are generally programmable by user interface and provide the user with a means for manually entering input commands and data into designed program sequences which may then be selected to regulate any particular watering zone or station. To assist the user of the solid state irrigation controller when programming the microprocessor unit, Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) are generally provided to visually communicate feedback to the user describing the current status of the programmable data being entered into the control module of the irrigation system by the user.
Other general features of automatic solid state irrigation controllers of the prior art may include manual modes of operation which generally function to provide the user with an option of overriding all preprogrammed automatic watering operations of an irrigation controller. For example, manual operational modes of prior art solid state irrigation controllers may be utilized when excessive amounts of rain have fallen, or when a lengthy spell of dry weather has occurred requiring greater quantities of irrigation than previously programmed by the user to sustain vegetation growth and productivity.
There are significant disadvantages, however, associated with the use of manual operational modes incorporated by solid state irrigation controllers of the prior art. For example, manual modes of operation generally fail to provide a means for overriding program sequences on a selective basis, such as between individual watering stations or zones of an irrigation system. In this regard, either all watering stations or zones of an irrigation system are operated according to established preprogrammed watering sequences, or all the watering stations or zones of the irrigation system are controlled by a manual operational mode. Since watering intervals and irrigation amounts are typically dependent upon the type of vegetation or greenery, serious disadvantages may result when operational limitations of an irrigation system are consistently manipulated by manual operational modes without regard to the specific watering needs of particular vegetation.
Automatic solid state controllers of the prior art generally include a back-up power source providing the controller with a means for storing previously entered program designations if a power outage occurs. Solid state irrigation controllers of the prior art may also incorporate fault indicators which typically provide a means for alerting the user of a faulty watering station or stations. When a fault indicator is activated, the internal programming circuitry of prior art solid state irrigation controllers generally bypass the preprogrammed operational commands of the faulty station, thereby restricting any further preprogrammed watering commands to the solenoid of the faulty station.
A meaningful disadvantage with fault indicators of prior art solid state irrigation controllers involves those problems associated with the user failing to receive some form of recognizable notice that a watering station has been designated as being faulty. In this regard, to adequately monitor the irrigation system for faulty stations, the user is generally faced with one of two alternatives. First, the user could watch the systematic watering of all the watering stations or zones to assure himself that watering was occurring at each watering station for the programmed intervals, or the user could personally inspect the LCD display of the irrigation controller on a daily basis to investigate for any visual indications that faulty stations exist. Typically, users of solid state irrigation systems do not take the time to personally inspect the control unit of the irrigation system on a daily basis, or to sit and watch a complete watering cycle to insure proper watering is taking place at each and every watering station or zone. Unfortunately, users of solid state irrigation controllers generally do not recognize that a watering station or zone has been designated as "faulty" until such time as the vegetation or greenery begins to yellow or turns brown due to the lack of sufficient irrigation.
Prior art irrigation controllers may be constructed to include a master valve which provides a means for controlling the flow of water from a designated water source. Master valves of prior art solid state irrigation controllers generally activate a water pump to provide supplemental watering to an irrigation area. Typically, water pumps of prior art irrigation systems comprise a filtration system to restrict debris from corrupting the irrigation flow systems.
A serious disadvantage with master valves of prior art solid state controllers is that when a master valve activates a water pump, the water pump typically remains activated until all programming sequences of each watering station and zone of the irrigation system has cycled at least once. In this regard, master valves of the prior art are incapable of being independently controlled or activated for individual watering stations or zones. Rather, the master valve either activates a water pump for all watering stations, or the water pump remains inactive for the duration of a complete irrigation cycle.
When a second water pump is added to an irrigation system to extract water from a secondary water source, master valves of prior art solid state irrigation controllers will typically activate both water pumps for the duration of all programming sequences of every watering station or zone, whether or not the pump is actively withdrawing water. Moreover, the constant activation of the water pump through the entire watering cycle of an irrigation system without the pump actually facilitating the extraction of water, may result in serious mechanical impediments to the water pump and filtration system, thus restricting the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the irrigation system.
Another significant disadvantage with automatic solid state irrigation controllers of the prior art is that they tend to conventionally require numerous detailed and unreasonably complicated steps to satisfactorily program the microprocessor unit of the controller. Similarly, the user is generally constrained to observe numerous lengthy and tedious programming steps when inputting individualized programming sequences for individual watering stations or zones of the irrigation system. Moreover, when a user desires to make any minor modifications to a particular programming sequence of a certain watering station or zone, the user is generally required to reprogram and reenter new program schedules for every other watering station. Further thereto, reprogramming microprocessor units of prior art solid state irrigation controllers generally involves a large investment of time, typically requiring the user to maintain a certain amount of programming literacy and expertise to avoid the numerous confusingly similar programming steps.
When programming the microprocessor unit of prior art solid state irrigation controllers or making minor modifications to program sequences of individual watering stations or zones, the user must generally be in physical contact with the control module to enter the new program commands. Automatic irrigation controllers of the prior art, however, are generally mounted outside. And, since all programming capabilities of the controller are typically entered at the physical location of the microprocessor control unit, inputting programming data outdoors may result in a significant inconvenience to the user, especially during inclement weather.
When servicing prior art automatic solid state irrigation controllers, the user typically turns on the faulty watering station at the physical location of the programmable controller and walks to the specific location of the related watering station or zone for the purpose of visually observing the operation or non-operation of the faulty station when the station is activated. After examining the activity or inactivity of the particular faulty watering station, the user generally returns to the programmable controller and deactivates the faulty watering station using the overriding manual mode of operation.
In other circumstances, maintenance and service of faulty watering stations or zones of an irrigation system may involve the employment of at least two service operators. One service operator usually remains at the physical location of the programmable controller, while the other service operator ventures to the areas where the faulty watering stations are supposed to provide supplemental irrigation. While checking the irrigation system, both service operators generally communicate with one another as to the working status of the faulty watering stations when the station is manually activated. In this regard, maintaining and servicing prior art solid state irrigation controllers can quickly amount to a lot of wasted time and effort incurred with the excessive walking of a user between the programming controller and faulty watering stations, or with the requirement that at least two service attendants are typically needed to facilitate repairs and proper maintenance to an irrigation system.
In addition to the foregoing disadvantages, expanding the watering capabilities of prior art solid state irrigation controllers to provide water to larger areas of vegetation or greenery, such as, golf courses, parks, cemeteries, etc. generally involves great expense and inconvenience with regard to programming operations. Moreover, if the user wants to provide supplemental irrigation to an area larger than the current irrigation system can facilitate, the user is typically required to establish separate programming routines for an additional and completely independent irrigation controller having its own housing unit and internal circuitry to operate the additional watering stations or zones.